Moonlight
by Little Miss Mania
Summary: If Twilight were a whole lot creepier.
1. Sightings

_**Disclaimer- I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does.**_

_**A/N- I am starting this six-part project as sort of a grand return to the Fan fiction community. I will be rewriting each of the Twilight books as horror stories. Please note that I will change some things and add others.**_

_**A/N 2- You'll find out what I changed as you read the story. I'm not one to give away information about my work, except to my close friends.**_

_**A/N 3- If the preceding statements didn't turn you off, sit back and enjoy the first part of my new series.

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_**1. Sightings**_

_**Phoenix, Arizona**_

The Arizona sun beat down on the small yellow taxi as it pulled into the airport parking lot. The back door slowly opened and a young woman emerged, carrying a few bags. "Miss Swann," the driver, a scrawny blond man in his early forties, called out. "You forgot your parka." His passenger turned around and grabbed the gray coat out of the taxi.

"Thanks," she said, her voice a harsh, emotionless whisper. "Say hello to Renee for me." Her chocolate-brown eyes flashed him an evil glance.

"But she's…" the driver gasped.

"Ill," she corrected before walking off. "Excuse me, I have a plane to catch."

The driver watched his passenger disappear into the distance, then his gaze flickered to a newspaper folded on the seat beside him. The headline read "Phoenix Teenager found Stabbed To Death". "Poor Renee," he sighed, "I doubt she'll make a full recovery. What illness could be so severe that she has to give up custody of her daughter to her ex-husband?" He left, the question still unanswered.

_**Port Angeles, Washington, about four hours later**_

Chief Swann thought about the letter his ex-wife had sent him a few days ago. Like the taxi driver, he wondered what condition she had. He kept his gaze focused on the planes. _Any moment and I'll be reunited with my daughter. I hope Bella can handle the transition well. I even made arrangements with Forks High. _He clutched his umbrella in distant sound of footsteps coming toward him made him smile. _She'll stay with me for a longer time than she used to._ The door leading to the parking lot pushed open and the young woman with the wild brown eyes stepped through it. Her brown hair hung in waves around her pale, heart-shaped face. She wore a black shirt under a gray jacket, and torn blue jeans. She carried her suitcase rather carelessly as she walked up towards him. She didn't seem to care about the rain.

"Long time, no see, father," She murmured.

Chief Swann opened the back of the police cruiser. "You're gonna love it here in Forks, Bella." Bella set her luggage in the back of the car. "I even got you a truck. It's a Chevy." She got in the back of the car, sat right beside her belongings, and put on her seatbelt. Chief Swann folded his umbrella and got into the driver's seat.

Bella stirred as her father drove off. "Dad, how did you get it?"

"I bought it from a friend in La Push," he explained. "It's pretty old, but it runs great. Billy's an excellent mechanic." His daughter sighed, wondering what drove her father to welcome her to Forks with an old car.

"Thanks, Dad," Bella replied, trying to mask her disappointment. She glanced out the window as the car passed an entire forest of moss-coated trees. Slowly, a two bedroom house came into view. The truck that Charlie had mentioned sat in the driveway. It hid its age rather well. Its iron exterior made it seem invulnerable. Charlie parked the cruiser in the driveway right beside the truck. He glanced at the sand-colored siding of the house, then at his daughter as she effortlessly carried the bags out of the car and up the wooden stairs to her small bedroom. Lace curtains hung from the sole window. A desk, a bed, and a child-sized rocking chair were the only furniture in the entire room. Charlie glanced at his daughter, then left.

Bella slowly unpacked her belongings, thinking about how out of place she would be at her new school. Her pallor was unusual for someone who lived most of her life in Phoenix.

Meanwhile, Charlie sat in the living room, looking through his daughter's paperwork. Renee had sent him copies of Bella's report cards and other papers that might interest him. He picked up a yellowing page written by one of her elementary school teachers. Black cursive script bore the words "Doesn't relate to others." Charlie cast it aside._ Well, I guess a smaller setting will help her open up._

The next morning, Bella entered the stone and brick building that housed Forks High and made her way down the narrow hallway to the office. She flinched at the sight of the office, with its motley assortment of hanging plants. Her gaze flickered to the cluttered state of her surroundings, then at the heavyset redhead in the purple T-shirt.

"Excuse me, but may I help you?" the woman asked.

"I'm Isabella Swann," Bella informed. The woman fished through a pile of documents before giving her a class schedule. On the back of the schedule was a map. "Thank you." She pushed open the door and walked out toward her truck, just as the other students started to arrive. She scanned the parking lot for a open spot. One thing caught her eye: a silver Volvo. She parked the truck in an open spot, silencing the motor as soon as she was in. She analyzed the map, figuring out where her first class was, then got out of the truck, headed for Building 3.

She then entered a small classroom and watched as the other students hung their coats on several hooks that emerged from the wall. The teacher directed her to a desk in the back without saying a word.

"New girl?" a dark-haired boy asked another student.

His friend, a young woman with braces and over-processed red hair, sighed. "I guess so. I've never seen her before."

Bella pulled out a copy of _Jane Eyre _and tried to lose herself in the gritted her teeth. _I hate being the subject of conversation._

The bell rang, much to her delight. She got up, only to come face-to-face with the dark-haired boy. "You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?" he asked.

"I prefer Bella," she said. "And you are."

"I'm Eric," he answered. "Not to be nosy or anything, but where's your next class?"

Bella memorized the schedule and rattled off the next entry. "Government, in building 6."

"Oh," he said, grabbing his raincoat and leaving.

Classes came and went before lunch. Bella entered the cafeteria, thumbing around in her wallet for enough money to buy a meal.

A short girl with curly dark hair gestured to her. "We have a spot over here." Bella walked over to the table after grabbing a tray and sat down.

The seven strangers bombarded her with questions. "Dating anyone yet?"

"Why are you pale? Aren't you supposed to be from Phoenix?"

"How do you like it in Forks?"

Bella ignored the questions. Instead her eyes drifted to another table where five pallid strangers sat in silence. A burly dark haired boy, a small fairy-like girl, an athletic blond, a gorgeous young woman, and a boyish-looking young man were clustered around this table. Their dark eyes stared back at her.

"Bella?" one of her neighbors, asked. "Are you listening?"

Another student waved a hand in front of her face. "She looks dazed."

Bella gestured to the five people sitting at the far table. "Who are they?"

The bronze-haired young man glanced at the dark-haired girl sitting near Bella, then at her. The dark-haired girl, Jessica, flinched back, then hid her fear as she pointed to each one.

"Those are the Cullens," she said warily. "Alice Cullen, Jasper and Rosalie Hale, Emmet Cullen and Edward Cullen." She shuddered again.

Bella didn't reply; her gaze stopped at Edward as he picked apart a bagel.

"What is she looking at him for?" a boy asked.

"Maybe it's love at first sight," a girl replied.

"Love at first sight doesn't exist," the boy replied, returning to his cheeseburger.

Bella turned to Jessica, "They're… attractive."

"Yes, I know," Jessica replied. "They all live together. And Dr. Cullen and his wife adopted them. The Hales are twins, by the way."

After lunch came biology. One of Bella's new friends, Angela, accompanied her to Biology. "Sorry, but all the tables are filled," she sighed. Bella spotted a seat beside Edward. "Except that one." Bella sat down at the spot. Her neighbor flinched. The teacher presented a lesson on cellular anatomy.

Bella took a pen and pencil and hurriedly scribbled down notes. Every now and then, she glanced at her mysterious neighbor as he tried to avoid her for reasons unknown.

The bell rang, which signaled a transition to gym class. She glanced at a boy with spiky blond hair. He smiled at her as the two walked out of Biology.

"Oh, hi, you're the new girl," he said. "Isabella Swann?"

"Call me Bella, please," she replied.

"I'm Mike. Are you headed to the gym?" he asked. Bella nodded. He paused. "That guy sitting next to you. He looked like he was in pain." Bella nodded a second time. The two walked off to the gym, but her mind still was focused on Edward.

_Why is he so magnetic? He just draws people in. _She thought. _But I feel like I should avoid him. _

To Bella's dismay, students in Forks were required to take four years of Physical Education. The coach set a uniform aside for her.

"Don't bother changing into it," he said. "I'll be nice and let you sit out for one class." Bella walked into the gymnasium and sat on the bleachers. She gritted her teeth and crossed her arms; she couldn't stomach the idea of a seemingly endless marathon of volleyball games.

After gym, she went to the office to return her paperwork. She could hear sounds of a discussion on the other side of the door.

"Are there any other classes I could take besides that biology class?" A smooth voice asked.

"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Cullen," the secretary remarked. "But we need to fulfill the requirements. You'll have to stay there."

Bella entered the room. Edward stared at her with hate-filled eyes. She shivered then put the paperwork on the desk. She then rushed to her truck and drove home.

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_**A/N- I appreciate any kind of feedback on this story, whether it be positive or negative. And Also, I came up with titles for future installments: **_

_**Blood Moon (New Moon) **_

_**Last Rays (Eclipse)**_

_**Final Dawn (Breaking Dawn) **_

_**Setting Sun (Midnight Sun) **_

_**Rebirth (Short Second Life of Bree Tanner)**_


	2. Obvious

_**Disclaimer- I don't own Twilight. At All. If I did, this is how it would've been written. Less romance, less description, more creepy horror.**_

_**A/N- I'm saving the best of my rewrite till Breaking Dawn, or as I'll call it, Final Dawn.**_

_**A/N 2- I'll release one little spoiler. Each of the Cullens is a different breed of Vampire or Vampire-like creature. I'm perfectly willing to disclose what each of them are. Just request one. (Except for Edward. You'll find out during the meadow scene.)**_

_**A/N 3- I gotta warn you. A few upcoming chapters will contain scenes of violent acts. I'm warning you now so you won't flame me to death.**_

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2. Obvious

Bella strolled into school the next day, wondering what awaited her. It was surprisingly dry for a morning in Forks. Classes came and went. Finally, Lunch arrived. She sat down at the table and looked toward where the Cullens usually sat. Only four of them were there. Edward was absent.

Bella breathed a sigh of relief and proceeded to eat her lunch, listening to the banter. However, she still felt nervous. What if he showed up? Her gaze raked the room a couple of times, but this didn't satisfy her. She raised one hand to her mouth, shaking.

After lunch came biology. Mike followed close behind. What is up with him? Bella wondered. She glanced at the overly-friendly boy behind her. The two arrived at the biology classroom. Edward wasn't there either; Bella had the table to herself. She rested her chin on her hand. _Am I the reason he's not here?_

Classes came and went and Bella arrived home, trying to figure out the reason for his absence. A packet of money lay on the table. Beside it was a shopping list. She sighed and walked out the door. She got into the truck and drove toward the store. She parked the truck and glanced at an oddly familiar Volvo ahead of her. Two of the Cullens, plus the Hale twins, left the car. Their clothes looked like something Bella had seen in fashion magazines. After quickly buying groceries, she went home and prepared dinner. Tonight, she planned to make steak and baked potatoes. She wrapped the potatoes in foil before putting them in the oven. Okay, so that's done. I need to check my e-mail messages. She turned on the computer and logged on to the internet. Her sole message was from Renee.

**Bella,**

**The doctors say I'm going to be fine.**

Bella typed a laconic reply.

**Get well soon.**

Downstairs, the door creaked open and Charlie entered the house. He hung up his gun belt. Bella ran back downstairs to remove the potatoes from the oven and put the steak in to broil.

"Steak and potatoes?" Charlie asked. His daughter nodded. Several minutes passed before dinner was ready. He got up and strolled into the kitchen.

"Enjoy," Bella said dryly.

"Do you have any friends at school?" Charlie asked between bites of potato.

"Yes, I attend a few classes with this girl named Jessica," his daughter replied. "And Mike Newton's also a nice guy."

"His family runs the sporting goods store in town," Charlie explained.

"Do you know the Cullens?" Bella asked.

"Dr. Cullen? He's nice, but he's a bit strange."

Bella shivered a little bit. "How?"

"I can barely keep track of what he looks like. He's constantly changing hair and eye color."

"His children don't fit in well in school." Bella paused to finish a glass of water. "They're odd."

Charlie sighed. "Dr. Cullen is an excellent surgeon, but he's incredibly secretive. The family sticks close together."

"They're all extremely attractive."

"I realize that. Even though Dr. Cullen keeps changing appearance, he can still drive women wild. Luckily, he's married."

The conversation ceased afterwards. The night was also uneventful.

The week dragged on. Edward still hadn't showed up. Bella wondered why he wasn't at school. _Am I to blame? _She bit her nails anxiously.

"Bella," Mike Newton stated during lunch. "Want to take a beach trip to La Push?" She nodded. _What's La Push anyway?_

The weekend was also boring. Charlie worked, and Bella fixed up the house and kept a watchful eye on the e-mail inbox to see if Renee had replied to her message.

Monday came without warning. Bella returned to Forks High. Several people whose names she forgot greeted her. She ignored the crowd and proceeded to class. In English, she took a quiz on the book she had to read for class.

Several classes came and went and with Jessica at her side, she went into the cafeteria. Her gaze darted to the Cullen's Table. _One, Two, Three, Four… Five. _She froze. _Edward's back._

"Bella, are you okay?" Jessica asked.

"I'm fine," she replied, sitting down. Eric put a can of soda in front of her. Bella sipped the soda nervously. Her eyes were focused on the Cullen table. The five of them sat, laughing. Melting snow dripped down from their hair. Edward stared at Bella.

"Why is he staring at you?" Jessica asked.

"I don't think he likes me," Bella replied, shyly.

"He doesn't like anyone for some odd reason," another person at the table said.

Soon Lunch was over. _I'm free… after gym. _She rushed out of the cafeteria, headed toward her next class, which happened to be Biology. Suddenly she heard a quiet, soothing voice.

"Good afternoon." Bella scanned the room and found the origin of the voice. She came face to face with Edward Cullen. She froze. _What does he want with me?

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_**Closing A/N- That's what happens when I cut out anything I deem unnecessary. It adds mystery. **_


	3. Survivor

_**Disclaimer- Still, Twilight is not mine.**_

_**A/N- Now, here's where the real rewriting starts. I'll be changing a few elements in this chapter…**_

_**A/N2- I received a request to reveal the identities of all the Cullens sans Edward. Okay, I will, but you'll have to wait till the chapter's over. **_

_**A/N 3- You know when I mentioned that things might get a little graphic in the future? I'll provide a warning in the chapter where the "action" starts.**_

_**A/N 4- This chapter is extremely short.**_

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**3. Survivor**

Bella woke up, her mind filled with images from the previous day. _Why? Why is he interested in me? Of All people? And why am I drawn to him? Could this be true love? _Bella groaned. _Nah, true love doesn't exist. _She climbed out of bed and got ready for another morning at Forks High. She threw on an outfit and headed downstairs to grab a bowl of cereal.

She glanced out the window at the icy surroundings, then marveled at the silence. _Charlie's not here. _She sighed, wondering if her truck would be ready enough to traverse the icy roads. She walked out to her truck and climbed in the driver's seat, driving off. _What will today be like? Will Mike and Eric still follow me around? _She looked ahead, as the high school loomed in the distance. She parked the truck and slowly got out of it.

"Watch out!" A young man screamed. The screeching of tires filled the air as half a ton of steel and rubber came surging toward her. Bella gritted her teeth, waiting for impact. _This is it. Judgment Day. _Suddenly, another noise filled the air: metal crunching.

_Am I dead? Is this the end? _Bella's dazed mind repeated this phrase several times. She opened her eyes and saw her father sitting in a chair beside her.

"Bella," Charlie gasped, "you're okay." He glanced at the bandages on her leg. "You survived."

"Survived?" Bella murmured. "What do you mean…"

"Tyler, the one who was behind the wheel," Charlie replied solemnly, "he's dead."

Bella swallowed hard. _Why did I survive and he didn't? And What saved me? _

A figure entered the room. He had blond hair and was extremely pale. A name tag pinned to his white lab coat read "Carlisle Cullen". He sighed. "We did our best to save Tyler, but he died anyway." His gaze darted to Bella. "It's a miracle that you survived." He said it like he didn't really care about her survival.

_But why did this happen? _Bella thought.

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_**Pardon me for cutting out a lot of this chapter. I have two reasons:**_

_**One: It adds suspense.**_

_**Two: I need to fulfill my promise to my reviewers.**_

_**Okay, I end this edition of Moonlight by revealing the identities of the Cullens.**_

_**Alice- Jiangshi (Chinese Vampire)Emmet- Zombie**_

_**Rosalie- Lamia**_

_**Jasper- Ghoul**_

_**Carlisle- Body-Snatcher**_

_**Esme- Leanan Sidhe (Celtic Vampire)**_

_**The Next installment, I promise you, will be longer.**_


	4. Dreaming

_**Disclaimer- Twilight will never be mine.**_

_**A/N- Updates of this fic may be sporadic.

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_**4. Dreaming**_

Bella was discharged from the hospital later that night. She trudged up to her room and got ready for bed. _Why me? _She thought as she lay in bed. _Why did I live? What's going on? _Her thoughts drifted to Edward. _Who is he? Was he the one who saved me?_

Forks High wasn't as cheerful as it was. Bella's friends seemed to silently mourn for their departed friend. A few students even congratulated Bella on surviving.

"It's a miracle you didn't die," one said.

"We're so glad you're alive," a teacher mentioned.

_But why? _Bella thought. _Why is it that I'm still alive?_

At lunch, the same thoughts clouded her mind. Her gaze darted to the Cullen's Table. _I'm pretty sure Edward saved me. But why couldn't Tyler survive?_ Edward stared back at Bella, his expression reading "I don't normally do things like that".

"Jessica," Bella asked.

"Yes?" her friend replied.

"What happened yesterday?" She asked.

Jessica stifled a cry. "I don't know; it happened so quickly. I didn't see what happened."

Bella groaned. _I won't get any answers that way._

Soon, biology arrived. Bella strolled into the room and took her customary seat beside Edward. Edward tapped her on the shoulder.

"Uh, Bella," he said.

"Mmm-hmm?" She replied.

"Don't expect things like that from me," he said. "I don't normally do things like that." Before Bella knew it, biology was over. Another day at Forks High had passed.

However, there was one news item that seemed to wash away all traces of the dead student: an upcoming dance in which girls asked the boys. Jessica informed Bella of this.

"I'm planning to take Mike, that is, if you're okay with it," she said, all but forgetting Tyler's untimely demise. "Umm, it's okay, Jess," Bella replied. "I wasn't thinking about taking him. In fact, I really don't feel like going."

"Oh, come on," Jessica pleaded. "Nothing cures survivor guilt better than a good time."

"You and Mike can have a good time," Bella sighed. "Don't try to convince me otherwise."

The next day surprised Bella. Jessica wasn't her normal chatty self. _What happened? _Bella wondered. _Did Mike turn her down or something? _Curious, and while Mike was walking her down the hall, she decided to ask him. "Hey, I heard Jess wants to take you to the dance."

"I told her I'll think about it," Mike sighed.

_Oh, I didn't really think that. _Bella thought.

"I was wondering if you would ask me," Mike stated.

"But I think you should go with Jess," she insisted.

"Did you already ask someone?" Mike asked. He looked in Edward's direction.

"I'm not going," Bella said. "I have plans to go to Seattle." She walked into the Biology Classroom.

Bella drove home after school, still wondering whether or not Jessica would finally persuade Mike to go with her to the dance. She rushed to the kitchen to prepare dinner: chicken enchiladas. _It's best to stay busy. _As the onions and chiles simmered, the phone rang. _Who could it be? _She picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Bella, Guess What?" It was Jessica. "Mike accepted."

"That's Nice," Bella replied, still watching the pot.

"See ya!" Jessica hung up the phone.

_That was… short. Now where was I? Oh yes, Dinner. _Bella proceeded to dice the chicken. Her mind was still focused on Edward's words from a couple days earlier.

_What does he mean by he doesn't do things like that? Oh, well, I'll find out later. _She set the enchiladas in the oven to bake.

Charlie came home. The smell of peppers made him rather suspicious. Bella knew that the only actually edible Mexican food was in southern California.

During dinner, Bella decided to ask her father an important question.

"Uh, Dad, May I go to Seattle?"

Charlie eyed his only child with a slight tinge of suspicion. "Why do you need to go there?" "I need to go shopping for more books," Bella quickly stated. "They have better bookstores."

"But it's a big city," Charlie said.

"Seattle's one-fifth the size of Phoenix, I can handle it," Bella replied.

The next morning, Bella drove to Forks High. She spotted a shiny silver Volvo already in the parking lot. She got out of the cab. Out of the shadows, Edward Cullen appeared.

She gasped. "How'd you do that?"

"Do what?" he asked.

"Appear like that?"

"Oh, it's nothing really."

"And what do you want with me?" "What would I want with you?" Edward crossed his arms.

"Why did you save me and let Tyler die?"

"I couldn't save him." He paused. "Heard you're going to Seattle."

Bella gasped again. "Who told you that?"

"Oh, I have my reasons." He vanished, just as mysteriously as he appeared.

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_**Well, that brings another chapter of Moonlight to a close. Stay tuned for future chapters.**_


	5. Crimson

_**Disclaimer- Twilight still is not mine. I doubt it'll be as popular as it is now if I had penned it.**_

_**A/N- This chapter is going to be significantly altered.

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_**5. Crimson**_

Bella walked to English class, shaking. _Why am I drawn to Edward, but also incredibly repulsed? _

"Good Morning, Miss Swann," The teacher said as she took her seat.

After Class, Mike and Eric walked with her to another class. Mike gained his enthusiasm back as he talked.

"My beach trip won't be cancelled," he said. "The weather's supposed to cooperate."

_Oh, really. It's not gonna get out of the Forties at all._ Bella thought. _So it's futile. _

The morning dragged on and Lunch time arrived. _Why does Edward know about me? Has he been spying on me? If yes, I know who to talk to. I'll have him arrested. I don't care that his "father" and my father are friends. I have the law on my side. But Edward's too alluring to be locked away. God, why am I so conflicted? _Those were Bella's thoughts up until lunch.

Jessica tapped Bella on the shoulder. "Um, Edward's looking at you?"

Bella got up, "Why don't I join him? He looks lonely." _Ah, What am I saying? Why am I drawn to him? _She walked toward the Cullen table and sat down beside him.

"Thanks for joining me, Bella," he said. Bella couldn't help but stare at him.

_Is he for real? _She shook her head violently. _Snap out of it, Bell. He's got you under a spell or something._

"What's going on?" Bella finally said.

"I have no idea," Edward replied. He glanced at the table where Bella usually sat. "I think your friends dislike me for stealing you."

"Maybe," Bella said. _Edward Cullen. What is he and what is he doing to me?_

Bella and Edward met up again in biology. Mr. Banner scrawled notes about blood types on the chalk board. Fliers about a Port Angeles Blood drive lay on each table.

"We're testing blood types today," he said. The entire class shuddered. He then gave each table. "Who wants to be first."

Mike stood up and took a deep breath. He strolled to the front desk. "I'll do it." "Ah, Mr. Newton," the teacher said. Bella was instantly reminded of the mad doctors from many a late-night horror flick. "Hold out your hand." Mike obeyed and Mr. Banner rammed a spike into Mike's finger. A drop of blood trickled out of the wound.

_Oh, no. _Bella shielded her eyes from the gruesome sight. _I feel ill. _Her knees sunk to the floor and finally, she passed out.

"Is she okay?" She heard a voice say.

"It's only a drop of blood," another one said.

A few minutes later, Bella came to her senses. She awoke in the nurse's office. Someone had put a note on her forehead.

_**Bella,**_

_**Sorry, I won't see you tomorrow. And I'm sorry if I'm not providing answers to some of your most pressing questions. Emmett and I'll be going on a little trip. My family camps a lot.**_

_**Edward.**_

_And that's one of the main reasons why I still don't know anything about him.

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**My Schedule for Moonlight? One new Chapter per day.**

**I gotta warn you. That's not a definite, but it'll be a goal.  
**


	6. Grim Tales

_**Disclaimer- I don't own what is not mine.**_

_**6. Grim Tales**_

Bella sat in her room, reading the third act of _Macbeth_. The rain fell down in sheets outside. _Friday's going to be dull._

And So, Friday arrived with various fainting jokes. During Lunch, Jessica subjected Bella to a laundry list of questions. "Uh, What did Edward say to you?"

"Not much," Bella replied.

"He never socializes with anyone else, except his family," Jessica replied.

Another person at the table, a blonde named Lauren, stood up. "Why doesn't she sit with the Cullens?"

"She's our friend," Mike replied.

Bella arrived home and prepared dinner. Her mind was still buzzing with images of her upcoming trip to La Push.

"A few friends and I were planning on going camping in the mountains," she told Charlie.

"It's dangerous, Bears live there," Charlie replied.

"I'm sure the guys I'm going with would make sure things are safe," she said.

The next day, Bella arrived at Newtons' Olympic Outfitters. Everyone was there. Bella scanned the crowd. _Ben, Connor, Mike, Jess, Angela… oh, crap, Lauren's here too! This trip's gonna epically suck. Oh, well. Let's get it over with._

"See?" Mike said. "I told you the weather would cooperate."

"And I told you that I'd be here," Bella replied.

"Well, we have a spare seat with me, shotgun," Mike pointed out. Bella smiled and climbed into the passenger seat.

The group traveled through fifteen miles of forest. Bella rolled down the window. _Geez, packed in this van like sardines._

Bella glanced at the beaches of La Push. _Beautiful, Dark gray water. Islands rising above the waters. Very calming._ The van parked and the travelers walked toward the beach. Then Mike got an idea.

"Let's go hiking," he suggested.

Lauren and a few of the other girls, except Jess and Angela decided to stay behind.

Bella and the others entered another stretch of wood. An endless sea of trees awaited her. The scene was peaceful, except for the adolescent chatter behind her. _Ah, fresh air. It's better than being cooped in a noisy van._

The group headed back to the beach. A few teenagers from the local reservation decided to join in the fun. Mike unloaded the cooler and handed everyone a sandwich and a soda.

A driftwood fire steadily burned as the sun sank below the horizon.

Angela walked away and a Native boy named Jacob took her place by Bella's Side.

"Oh, hi," he said, "You must be Bella. You bought my dad's truck. He didn't really need it anyway."

"Well, I do remember you, only vaguely," Bella replied

"You're lucky you're an only child," Jacob groaned. "I have sisters."

"Oh, Rachel and Rebecca, I know them." Bella paused. "Are they here?"

"No, they've moved away. So how's the truck running?"

"Okay, but it's kind of slow."

Jacob sighed. "Well, Bella, I have a little question. Do you like scary stories?"

"I do," Bella chirruped.

"Seven soulless monsters dwell on the horizon," he said, making rather lame hand motions to emphasize his point. "A crypt-raider. A serpent in woman's guise. A deadly siren. A walking corpse. A wicked flesh-eater. A hopping ghost. And a defiler of women." As he mentioned each monster, he gestured wildly, as if mimicking each creature.

Bella put one hand over her mouth as if trying to hold the laughter in.

"Okay, so that wasn't really scary," Jacob said. He sighed. "Unfortunately, it's true."

Bella's laughter turned to utter shock. "You mean?"

Jacob nodded solemnly. "The monsters will come after you. They work together."

_IS he lying? Or is he not? Gotta admit, he puts on a good show. _Bella looked over her shoulder. Mike and the rest were heading toward the vehicles. "Sorry, gotta run."

"Beware," Jacob murmured. "They'll come for you in the night."

_What's in the water around these parts? _Bella sighed as she climbed in Mike's van.

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_**Yes, I revamped Jacob to be some sort of mystic character. I feel it fits in with my version.**_


	7. Night Terrors

_**Disclaimer- I still don't own anything related to Twilight.**_

_**A/N- From now until the meadow scene, I will be dropping hints as to what kind of monster Edward is.

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**_

_**7. Night Terrors **_

_They'll come for you… they'll come for you… _This was the phrase that haunted Bella's dreams. _Who'll come for me? _She glanced at the clock on the beside table. _3 AM? What is up with my insomnia? And what is up with people these days? I live in the real world not the fantasy world._

In the morning, Bella grabbed a bowl of cereal and a notebook. One page was marked, _Weird Stuff. _She took out a pen and wrote down the words _"They'll come for you in the night." _Beside it was scrawled "Some crazy Indian boy told me this. Who is coming for me?"

Bella finished her cereal and walked outside. _Forks. _She walked down the forest trail, examining nature. _This place is really crazy. Come for me in the night? I have my windows locked, so who could get me? Besides, what are the Cullens and what is drawing me to their youngest son? All I know is, Edward isn't human. I better go back inside. All of this philosophical crap's giving me a headache._

Bella walked inside and got into a T-shirt and jeans. She walked upstairs to finish her English homework. _Let's get this over with. The paper's due Wednesday. And where's Dad? Oh, out fishing. _Bella paused to sharpen a pencil. _Gotta get this done. _She looked over and read a portion. "_Shakespeare's works were heavily influenced by life in Tudor England."_

Charlie came home with a large fish and the two feasted on it.

The next day Bella arrived at Forks High, rough draft of essay in her possession. _I better not lose this or I'm screwed. And all of that hard work will be for nothing. Which reminds me, tonight I'm going dress shopping with Jess and Angela._ However Jacob's voice replayed in her mind.

"They'll come for you in the night," she kept hearing. All through the school day, that's all she heard.

Jessica turned to look at Bella after school on the way to Port Angeles. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, some Indian superstition," Angela sighed.

"But what will come for me?" Bella blurted. Her two cohorts looked at her strangely. _Damn, they think I'm crazy. I should ask 'em to drop me off at the insane asylum. _

_

* * *

**Pardon the brevity of this chapter. I don't know why I'm out of ideas. Maybe because I gorged myself on Chicken Alfredo and I'm too bloated to even think of anything else to type. More will be up tomorrow.**  
_


	8. Voyage

_**Disclaimer- I am not the owner of Twilight. I just own a PDF copy of the book.**_

_**A/N- I promise all of my readers that this chapter will be longer.**_

_**A/N 2- This chapter has an extra scene thrown in.

* * *

**_

_**8. Voyage**_

The trio made it to Port Angeles by four o'clock, prepared for a night of dress-shopping. Jessica rambled on about the boys she and her friends hung out with.

Port Angeles was a beautiful town filled with glistening lights. Jess and Angela knew it well. Jess drove into the parking lot of a massive department store.

"What should we get?" Angela asked. Jessica handed her a brochure.

"The dance is billed as semi-formal," Jessica replied.

"Hey, Bella," Angela asked, "do you have a boyfriend?"

"No, I'm a late bloomer," Bella replied. "Honestly, I'm trying to find the right guy." The three girls entered the department store, headed into the dress aisle.

"Well, If Tyler hadn't died, he would've taken you to the prom," Jessica said.

_But I dislike school dances. _Bella thought.

Jessica rummaged through the racks and picked out two dresses. "Which one looks better? The long, black, strapless one or the blue one with spaghetti-straps.

"Blue," Bella replied.

Angela stood by, admiring a long, pale pink gown. "I'll take this one."

Bella smiled and nodded.

Jessica scurried over to the shoe counter. "Ooh, I want these! They'll go great with my dress." She then looked at the box. "And they're on sale."

_Remind me why I'm friends with her. _

The two girls rushed to the check-out counter and purchased their dresses.

"Why are the Cullens often absent?" Bella asked.

"They often go backpacking," Angela replied. "They like the outdoors, even the doctor."

"Um, Bella," Jessica said. "Meet us at the Italian restaurant in an hour."

_Good, I have enough time to go the bookstore._ Bella walked off. _Now, where's the store? _A store façade loomed in the distance; its windows filled with crystals, dream catchers and other occult paraphernalia. She pushed open the door. _Let's see, creepy old lady, shelves of books. Nothing here of my interest. I think I was looking for a book on dreams. After all, they'll come for me in the night. Oh crap, why haven't I forgot that phrase. _Bella walked out. _I need to find a normal bookstore._

She stepped into the streets just as people were arriving home from work. _Now, where is that book store?_

"Hey, pretty," a gravelly voice said. Bella whirled around to face a group of four men. One of the men glanced at her purse, then grabbed at it.

"No!" Bella screamed. She fumbled around in her jacket pocket for a can of pepper spray. "Don't take my purse!" The sky darkened. _Oh, no. The Indian curse. These are the ones that'll come for me in the night. And I don't even believe in such nonsense._

Car tires squealed on the road. The gang of men gasped when they saw headlights.

"We can't get it now," one of them said. They dispersed.

"Need help?" A seductive male voice said.

"Yes," Bella replied. She opened the door and climbed in.

"Remember, safety first," he said. Bella put on her seatbelt as the car drove away. "And remember, Bella…

_Edward? _"…I don't normally do things like this."

Edward drove to the restaurant. "Want to go out for dinner?" Bella nodded. _But first I gotta make a call. _Bella rushed to the restroom while Edward arranged a table.

Once inside the bathroom, Bella dialed Jacob's number.

"Yes?"

"Dammit Jacob! Why'd you jinx me? Come for me in the night and a group of muggers almost stole my purse."

"Um, that's not what I meant."

"What?"

"Something more sinister."

Bella shut off her phone. _Oh, joy. What does he mean this time? _Bella strolled out of the bathroom. _So that means they haven't come yet. They're still coming for me. _She walked to the table where Edward sat. "So how'd you know where I was."

"I have my methods," he replied.

_Wait, what methods? Is he trying to creep me out? He's doing a good job of it.

* * *

**Well, that concludes another chapter of Moonlight. **_


	9. Mystery

_**Disclaimer- What have I been telling you? Twilight is not mine.**_

_**A/N- This chapter will be kinda short because there's a lot I need to trim out to add mystery.

* * *

**_

_**9. Mystery**_

Edward drove Bella home. "You looked surprised. Is anything wrong?" he asked.

"Some Indian kid keeps giving me cryptic messages," Bella said. "Someone's coming for me in the night, but who."

Edward raised his eyebrows. "Ah, Indian superstitions. What a riot."

"I thought he meant the muggers," Bella sighed. "But he meant something worse."

Edward just flinched.

"Also, I was wondering. What are you?"

He flinched again. "I am not one to reveal my darkest secrets." He said this with a slight smile.

Bella silently thought of what Jacob said. _They haven't come yet. They're still out there. But just who are they? And what do they want? Hey, there are seven Cullens and seven evil monsters that are after me. Nah, it's just a coincidence. _She looked at Edward. _Oh, so beautiful. Such a nice guy. _She shook her head. _This guy's put a spell on me._

"But what draws me to you?" She asked.

"I will tell you in time," he replied. "But I cannot tell you now." He stopped the car at Bella's house. She got out and entered.

_What is going on? I feel like I'm in some sort of supernatural story. But what is Edward? All I know is, I love him.  
_


	10. Unanswered

_**Disclaimer- Again, I don't own this series.**_

_**A/N- This chapter contains scenes not in the book. I made them up.**_

_**10. Unanswered

* * *

**_

Bella sat in class, her mind cluttered with images. She stared at the paper in front of her. _No, I don't know what the author meant in sentence 15 of this poem. _She rested her chin on her palm. _How can I focus on this damn paper when I'm too curious about Edward? What the heck is he? _She hurriedly scrawled down a response. _Too many questions remaining unanswered. Sigh, why didn't I ask Edward those questions when I had the chance?_

She adjusted her jacket and kept writing, just as a couple friends began talking.

"Edward Cullen is indeed hot," a freckle-faced redhead remarked.

"Ooh, I could look in his eyes for days," her friend, a brunette with a horrible home haircut, replied.

_Geez, what's with all the girls going after him? Guess I have competition in the romance department. But why am I the only girl he's interested in? Why did he pick me?_

The first classes flew by in a blur. Bella passed by a window. The fog that was present that morning had lifted. Oppressive clouds took the fog's place. Bella arrived at Trig.

Jessica sat in her seat. "Hey, what happened? Heard you were almost mugged."

"Well, Edward saved me," Bella explained. _What about not doing things like that? What does he mean. The guy's hot, but he's so mysterious. _

"I never knew he was such a gentleman," Jessica replied. "I always thought he was creepy."

"He also bought me dinner and took me home," Bella added.

"I wish a man could do that for me," Jessica mused.

Mr. Varner entered the room and all talking ceased.

Then finally lunch. _That's it. I'm going right up to Edward and ask him a few questions. _Bella grabbed her tray and walked to the Cullen's table.

"Oh, it's nice seeing you, Bella," Edward said.

"Edward, it's time that we talked," she said, trying to sound stern. "I know that you have secrets that you refuse to tell me, but why do you know so much about me?"

Edward just smiled. "I told you, I have sources."

_I am never going to get answers out of him this way. _"It's as if you're overwhelming me," she replied.

"Everyone has secrets, Bella," he answered.

_Some people have more than others. How am I supposed to get through to him? _Bella stuck a fork in her rotini. _Edward's a puzzle and I need to solve it._

"But you said that you don't do things like what you've been doing," She said.

"I'm trying to be nice," he said.

"If you know so much about me, do you know the status of my Seattle trip?" She took a gulp of cherry cola.

"You've cancelled it to save on gas money," Edward replied. Bella swallowed hard, the bubbles tickling the lining of her throat.

"You're good," She gasped out.


	11. Problems

_**Disclaimer- I am not the proper owner of the Twilight Franchise.**_

_**A/N- I added things to lengthen the chapter. I'm letting Laurent, Victoria and James in the story early, not only to add length but to add plot. And… they won't be vampires. What will they be? You'll find out after the second horizontal rule. (Not the standard one I use to separate the header from the body of the story)**_

_**A/N 2- I'm altering the Q&A segment between Bella and Edward.

* * *

**_

_**11. Problems**_

Bella sat at her customary seat beside Edward. The teacher pushed a TV and a VCR into the classroom. _Movie day. _The class seemed a bit more cheerful on movie days. The teacher then shoved a tape in the VCR.

Bella glanced beside her. _He's a bit close for my comfort. _Bella scooted away.

After the hour-length film, Bella went to gym class. She quickly changed into her gym uniform and strolled into the gym. _Ugh, I hate badminton. Last time, the damn shuttlecock almost embedded itself into my eye._ She glanced at Mike. _Luckily someone's nice enough to pick me for his team._

"Hey, Bella," Mike called.

"Yes?" She replied.

"Are you dating Edward?" he asked.

"No," she said. _But I have to admit he is very alluring_

"The thing is, he looks at you like you're a juicy steak," he said.

"That's really flattering," she said, sarcastically.

Soon class ended. Bella walked out of the gym and came face to face with Edward.

"God, why are you always following me?" Bella sneered.

"Oh, did I hurt you?" Edward replied.

"No, but you're seriously creeping me out," she sighed.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I don't mean to." He then pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and gently stuck it in her backpack. "Gas money for your trip."

_I forgive him. Money cures all wounds. Oh, what am I thinking? But it is generous of him. What's he hiding?

* * *

_

Bella walked out of Forks high and to her truck, unaware of three sets of curious eyes watching her from nearby shrubbery.

"Ow, Watch it!" a voice whispered.

"I can't get a good view," a female voice replied.

"Stop it, you two," a more authoritative male voice snapped. "Remember our mission." The voices fell silent. "Keep an eye on that girl. She's hanging around with the Cullen boy."

"What's so suspicious about a couple of teens?" the female voice, Victoria, whispered.

"Remember the case files?" Laurent, the dominant male voice, asked.

"Mm-hmm," Victoria replied.

"That's why we're here," Laurent stated.

* * *

Bella left her house the next day. A shiny Volvo was parked in front of her house. _Edward's awfully generous. But what is he hiding? He's gotta be up to something. _She walked up to the Volvo.

"Well, I know I've refused to answer your questions about myself," he said. "But you'll know the answers in time. But why don't I ask you a few questions?"

"Okay," Bella replied. "Throw 'em at me."

"What is your favorite color?" he asked.

"Brown. It's a very neutral color."

"Favorite kind of music?"

"I like classical music."

"I guess tomorrow it'll be time for me to open up a bit." Edward said, leaving Bella's side for his first class of the day.

After school, the two met up in front of Bella's house. Edward slipped a piece of folded paper into Bella's hand.

"I wrote you a little poem," he said, smiling.

_What is with this guy? _Bella thought as she unfolded the paper.

_**The light of the moon **_

_**cannot match the light in your eyes.**_

_Corny, but oddly cute. I think I'm starting to warm up to him. _She refolded the paper. Another truck made its presence known.

Charlie walked off the porch to meet it. "How are you today, Billy?" he said as an older Indian man got out of the car.

Billy took a glance at Edward. He shuddered then walked up toward the house. Jacob followed close behind, but instead of shuddering at the sight of Edward, he ignored him completely.

_I'm starting to doubt anything Jacob says, especially these people who are supposed to come for me in the night.

* * *

_

_**One more chapter till I have to reveal just what Edward is. If you've been following some hints I drop in the story, you can probably attempt a guess. On Wednesday Night, I will lay the mystery to rest. And continue on making more chapters of Moonlight. **_


	12. Balance

_**Disclaimer- Twilight will never be mine.**_

_**A/N- Just need to get through this chapter and then I'm going to have loads of fun with the meadow scene.

* * *

**_

_**12. Balance**_

"It's nice to see you two are paying a visit," Charlie said. "By the way, the game starts in fifteen minutes.

Billy's expression changed from stunned to actually happy. "Wow, we've come at the right time."

"It's nice you've invited us over, Mr. Swan," Jacob added, trying to sound polite. "Our house is getting renovated and we need something to distract ourselves."

"Would you mind if I ordered Pizza?" Charlie asked.

"Well, we already ate," Jacob replied, "but you could order a small for you and Bella."

Bella and Edward entered the house as well. _Ah, the benefits of selling a roomful of mint condition Cabbage Patch Dolls on E-Bay. _Bella smirked. _I love it when I eat out. Let's just hope it's Hawaiian pizza. _

Bella walked to the kitchen. "Oh, hi Jacob." She looked around the room. _Good, Edward's not here. _"Now, Since we're face-to-face, what's with these ominous phrases?"

"They're still coming after you," he warned. "Beware."

The doorbell rang. _Damn. I didn't get the answers that I wanted. Stupid pizza delivery boy. _Bella and Jacob walked into the living room to join their fathers.

Charlie opened the box. Bella smiled.

_I knew it. Hawaiian. _Charlie grabbed a couple plates and began serving the pie.

"So, Bella," Charlie said between bites. "What's this about a dance?"

"I'm not really going to it," she said.

"Why? I thought you were fitting in," Charlie said, concerned.

"No, I choose not to," Bella said.

Eventually the game ended and Billy and Jacob drove off.

The next morning, Bella got up and prepared for another day. _They'll come for me, they'll come for me. Oh, what the hell am I thinking? Just seeing Jacob reminds me of that phrase. But there's a bit of a bright side: Today's Friday._

She walked outside. Edward silently waited for her. "Good morning, Bella."

"Is this going to be an everyday occurrence?" she asked. Edward just shrugged his shoulders as Bella got in the car.

"Well, I have a bit of bad news," he said. "Alice and I will be leaving after lunch, but don't worry, we'll be bringing your truck over."

Bella wrinkled her nose. "Just how'd you get the keys to it?"

"I have my methods," he replied.

_I was counting the minutes until he slipped that line again. What methods? I need answers and I am not getting them. _They soon arrived at Forks High and Bella exited the car. _What about the others? What are they? _She glanced at Rosalie, the beautiful blonde. _They're all unearthly beautiful, but what if the beauty is only a front?_

Bella went through the usual stream of classes. When the lunch bell came, she walked to the cafeteria, prepared to have one last conversation with Edward.

Edward turned to follow his family. "I don't mean to let you suffer through the final fifteen minutes of that horrible film in Biology, but sometimes we have to make sacrifices."

Alice Cullen strolled into the room, running a couple fingers through her black hair. "Oh, so you're Bella," she chirruped. "Edward told me so much about you."

"It's nice to meet you," Bella said, extending her hand.

Alice grasped Bella's hand and shook it rather enthusiastically. "You know, we move around an awful lot and I rarely have new friends," Alice continued. "It's nice to finally get to know someone." They turned to leave. "See ya."

Bella took a deep breath and walked to Biology.

"Have a safe trip to Seattle," Mike wished her.

"I hope you enjoy the dance too," Bella replied.

After school, Bella walked to the parking lot. Sure enough, there was her truck with the keys in the ignition. _Now, let's go home. I have a trip to Seattle to get through. _She turned the keys and started the truck, driving home.

The next morning, Bella rushed up and got dressed, wolfing down her breakfast and running out the door. She froze as soon as she caught sight of a young man beside her truck. _Please, let it be just a coincidence._ She shut her eyes and then reopened them. _It's Edward._

Edward walked toward her, his expression a mix of guilt and neutrality. "Bella, it's time I told you who I truly am. I've been lying to you this entire time."

Bella attempted to mask a smile. _Finally, I'll get the answers that I need._

"Come with me, and I'll tell you everything you want to know," he said. They both got in the truck and fastened their seatbelts. "Bella, one question. Do you mind a little hiking excursion?" Bella shook her head. "Good, because that's the perfect place to reveal my darkest secrets." He pointed to a path. She parked the truck near the path's beginning. They both got out of the truck and walked down the path to a rather innocent-looking meadow.

"What's so special about a trail?" Bella asked.

"The sunlight reveals our true selves," Edward replied. Bella looked at the sky. The sun began to peek out from behind the clouds, while her companion remained in the shadows. "I've lied to you ever since I met you." He slowly walked out of the shadows, just as the sun revealed its full might.

* * *

**_Sorry. No Reveal in this chapter. Gotta wait till next time. Heh heh heh._**


	13. Revelations

**Disclaimer- See previous chapters.**

**A/N- You've been waiting for this revelation for a long time. It's time I revealed Edward's identity. And he's not a vampire. I find Vampire/Human romances rather clichéd. However, there's one creature I'd love to see become a love interest in paranormal romance novels. **

**A/N 2- And Edward will not sparkle.**

**A/N 3- I'll include a scene with Laurent, James and Victoria just to add a bit of length.  
**

**13. Revelation

* * *

**

_Bella stumbled backward, trying desperately to avoid landing in some nearby bushes. __Oh, my god. Oh, my god. What is he? _She shielded her eyes.

Edward just stood in the beam of sunlight, looking rather calm. "What is wrong?" he asked. He seemed oblivious to apparent transformation, as if he knew what would happen.

Bella slowly uncovered her eyes. _Claws, Wings. He's some sort of demon. _"You're…"

"I know, I lose my beauty in the sun," he sighed. "And reveal my true colors. Now you see why my family and I never attend school on sunny days. We don't want to show everyone who we really are." He took a step toward her. "In fact, my beauty is only a front to lure prey."

"What kind of prey?" Bella asked, still too scared.

"I'm sort of a psychic vampire," he said. "I feed off people's life force. Animal life force just doesn't cut it. I've killed people. Don't you get it?" "But why didn't you tell me?" Bella pleaded.

"I thought you wouldn't like me," he replied. He stared at the ground for a few minutes. "I've told a few more potential targets about my true self and they ran screaming. Of course I had to silence them by draining them."

"I'll still like you," Bella assured him.

"I am a monster," Edward stated, all feelings of guilt gone. "I've been this way for one hundred years." He paused. "May I confess something else to you?"

"Yes," Bella said. _Maybe I'll find out what his methods are._

"I've been sneaking into your room late at night," he sighed.

_I knew it. _Bella crossed her arms.

"Because that's how I do things. I sneak into people's rooms and feed off them as they sleep. Want to know how?" Edward walked back into the shadows; his human façade slowly returning. He whispered something in Bella's ear.

"Eww!" Bella screeched, flinching. "You seduce people as they sleep? So you're not only a psychic vampire, you're an incubus."

"I know no other way," he said. His gaze darted to the path. "We best get going. And please don't tell anyone." Edward walked away.

_Like I'd ever forget what I learned today. _Bella shuddered. _Tell me why I still hang around him. Oh, 'cause he's hot. Apparently destiny hates my guts. I'm dating a demon. What did I read about this demonic "species"? Oh, yeah. They suck out your life force in the most intimate way possible. Is this my fate? _Bella ran to catch up.

* * *

"So," James said. "You think the girl's under a demon's spell?"

"Exactly," Laurent said. The three agents hid in the woods, just as Bella left the path. "Demons of Lust are deadly creatures. Proceed with caution."

"Extreme caution," Victoria corrected.

"They lure their victims in through their physical beauty," Laurent reminded his student.

"And that's when they attack," James finished.

"But the girl's still alive, not showing the usual signs of attack," Victoria mused. "Our best bet is to protect her."

"But she's hooked," Laurent sighed. "It's hard to yank her out."

* * *

_**Yes, Short but to the point. Sorry for the flurry of brief chapters.  
**_

_**This chapter was inspired by a video I found on YouTube. **_


	14. Musings

_**Disclaimer- See previous Chapters.**_

_**A/N- I'm glad you liked the previous chapter. And I thought you weren't going to like it.**_

_**14. Musings

* * *

**_

Edward was a decent driver, when he kept the truck at a reasonable speed. He slowly tuned the radio dial to an obscure oldies station.

"I never knew you liked fifties music," Bella remarked.

"It's one of the few decades that I tolerate," Edward replied. "After all, I've been around for a century."

"How'd you get the way you are?" she asked.

"I don't really know; I think I was born this way," Edward replied. "I can't change it, no matter how hard I try. But Instead, I'll tell you how I met Carlisle. He and I met in a hospital during an influenza outbreak. Did I tell you he's a body snatcher?"

_So that's why Charlie says he changes his appearance frequently._

"It was late at night back in 1918. I caught him raiding the morgue for his next vessel. He originally wanted to kill me and insert his mind into my body, but you can't kill a demon easily. That's how Carlisle functions. When his current vessel starts showing signs of decay, he gets another one. It's his way of being immortal."

"What happens to the old body?" Bella asked. _You know, I've always been interested in scary things. _"He gives them to Jasper. I haven't told you; he's a ghoul. A demon that robs graves and eats carrion. He'll make short work of them."

Bella shuddered.

"After he found me, he found a young woman from Ireland whom he later married," Edward continued.

"Esme," Bella whispered.

Edward nodded. "Esme's a Leanan Sidhe, a beautiful but deadly faerie. She drinks the blood of sleeping men. But she couldn't feed on Carlisle, because he's technically a walking corpse. Emmett and Rosalie came next. Rosalie was first and I wasn't about to cuddle up with a half-serpent woman. We found Emmett somewhere in the mountains. A bear mauled him to death. Somehow he came back as a zombie."

"What about Alice and Jasper? How'd they join your group?"

"Well, they came as a set, sort of. We found them sleeping in an old mausoleum. Alice can see things. Apparently, she saw us coming and alerted her companion. They did put up a mild fight."

"You mean she's psychic?"

"Yes," he replied. "But her visions aren't really set in stone." He spotted Bella's house. "Well, I guess I'll see you later." Edward parked the truck in the driveway, then exited the truck. Bella walked inside her house.

* * *

_**I know. I know. This is really short. But, hey, it's still an update. **_


	15. Family

_**Disclaimer- See previous chapters.**_

_**15. Family

* * *

**_

Bella woke up the next morning to find a note on her bedside table.

_**My precious Bella,**_

_**On the back I wrote directions to our mansion home. Would you mind if you pay a visit?**_

_**Edward**_

Bella flipped the note over. Sure enough, there was a map. _Today I have to visit the Cullen House. _She rushed downstairs, grabbing a pack of pop tarts out of the cabinet, and rushed out to her truck. _Now, two miles north in the middle of a dense forest. _She looked ahead to see her destination: a large manor house, probably built in the 1800's. She parked the truck and walked down the unpaved driveway to the house. _Is this the place? _Bella knocked on the door.

"Come in," an oddly familiar voice said. "We've been expecting you." Bella pushed open the door. Carlisle and the rest of the Cullen Clan sat on rather elegant living room furniture, even though Jasper was content to sit cross-legged on the floor. Bella took another look at Carlisle. _What? He switched bodies? Just like Edward said. His hair's darker._

Edward got up and walked toward Bella. "Oh, we're glad you could join us for a little quality time," he said.

"I never had friends over where we used to live," Alice added. "Oh, It was often sunny and I didn't want them to know what I really am."

"Here, let me take you on a tour of the house," he said, walking away. Bella followed.

_I wonder what's in this place. _Bella thought.

"The room you were in was the living room, we have no kitchen because all of us hunt for our prey." Edward walked up a flight of steps. "The others gave us permission to enter their rooms. Do you mind if we go in order of proximity to the staircase?"

"No, not at all," Bella replied. Edward led Bella into the first room. Bella shuddered as her gaze raked the room. "Oh my god. This place is…"

"Littered with dirt, bits of fabric and faintly smells like rotting flesh?" Edward finished. "Yep, this is Jasper and Alice's Room. Too bad Jasper takes his prey here to devour. No matter how much Alice tries to clean it. It always ends up looking like the same graveyards that Jasper used to haunt." He paused. "How about we skip a couple of rooms and I'll show you mine?"

"That's a good idea," she said. The two walked to the far end of the hall. Edward opened his bedroom door. A stereo lay on his bedside table. The bed beside it was wrought-iron with black sheets.

"I know, it's kinda simplistic, but hey, it's my room," he sighed.

"Um, what do you mean by saying that Rosalie is half-serpent?" Bella asked. "I was just wondering"

"She's a lamia; she attacks people at night, drinking their blood," Edward explained. "We better head downstairs." The two walked back down. The others had dispersed, leaving Carlisle alone on the couch. A few rather large books lay beside him. Bella glanced at some of the titles: "_Dross into Gold, The Forbidden Arts"_

"I didn't notice you, Miss Swan," Carlisle remarked. "Did you enjoy your tour of my house?" She nodded. "Well, I have to tell you. I am one of the few members of this house that was born human. Care to listen to my story?"

"Sure, After all, it is a weekend," Bella said, sitting down on the ottoman."

Carlisle cleared his throat. "I was born in 1312 in England to a wealthy family. My father owned a vast plot of land that provided grain for the royal family. I was expected to take my father's place, but instead I was driven to learn alchemy. It was my own foolish choice."

"But how did you learn the secrets to eternal life?" Bella asked.

"Oh, I'm getting to that part," Carlisle replied, resting his hand on the book labeled _Secrets of the Forbidden Arts_.

* * *

**_See you later. _**


	16. Alchemy

_**Disclaimer- See other chapters.**_

_**A/N- I love the Medieval period.**_

_**A/N 2- Adding a bit more of the antagonizing force in this chapter.

* * *

**_

_**16. Alchemy**_

"Let's just say I went mad searching for a way to turn base metals into gold," Carlisle continued. "I searched throughout Europe for the Philosopher's stone, but realized all too late that my quest would never be fulfilled. I turned to my vast collection of books while still looking for a solution when I came across something that piqued my interest: a way to stay immortal. The trouble is, I had to constantly find vessels to put my soul into. My first vessel was a young gentleman, the son of one of my father's enemies. He died under mysterious circumstances; I assure you that I had nothing to do with his death. I decided to possess his body. Even though I had immortality, I was extremely lonely. I've spent countless centuries alone. Now, I'm happy."

"So, why did you assemble a family of various supernatural creatures?" Bella asked.

"Since I'm not purely human," he said. "I feel more comfortable with other non-humans. During the centuries I have been by myself, I continued my education. This house you see here is the result of selling artifacts to museums. Every so often I replace my possessions with new ones. And by the time I do sell them, they are only fit for exhibition behind glass. I even made enough money to put myself through med school during the 1980's."

"Wow, that's an interesting story," Bella said. "So that's how you've managed to buy this house on a doctor's wages."

"I have numerous bank accounts throughout the world to keep my money in. This was only after the Great Depression. I also had to change my name numerous times. I don't recall my birth name, but it certainly wasn't Carlisle."

Bella walked away, turning to face Edward. "Did you like what you learned?"

"It's a bit hard to believe that Carlisle's been around since the invention of the printing press, but what about you? Could you inform me more about your life?" Bella clasped her hands together, in anticipation.

"If you insist, I will tell," Edward replied. "Ever since I realized what I am, I took advantage of the depravity of the 1920's. I could easily get a victim when everyone was loose. I didn't care who I drained as long as they were there."

_Okay, one Cullen made himself into a monster, another one is somewhat content with what he is. I know I'm going to wait to find out about the others._

Suddenly the phone rang. Carlisle picked up the receiver. "Oh, hello, Cullen Residence, Carlisle speaking."

"I know who you are," a whispery voice said.

"What do you mean?"

"Shut up, crypt-raider. I just do."

"You've no right to call me names, young man."

"The Noble Order will punish you."

"Noble order? What are you talking about?"

"That's who paid us." "Us?"

"Yep, three of us. We don't want you corrupting young human girls."

Carlisle gritted his teeth, hoping that Bella didn't hear the conversation. He then hung up. "Sorry, but that young man's a bit rude."

"You never told me that you had anyone after you," Bella replied.

"Well, this group stopped being subtle recently," Edward sighed.

* * *

_**Next Chapter? Baseball.**_


	17. Batter Up

_**Disclaimer- See previous installments.**_

_**A/N- If I keep this up. I'll be starting Blood Moon by next Monday. **_

_**A/N 2- This time is approximate.

* * *

**_

_**17. Batter Up**_

Bella glanced at her house, just as Edward pulled into the driveway. _Somebody's after them? But who? _She pushed open the door to the car and walked out. _Damn this rain. _She spotted Jacob and Billy. _Another visit? _Edward got out of the Volvo and stared at Billy for a few minutes.

"Vile fiend," Billy mouthed. However, Edward didn't seem to care about the mouthed insult. He got back in the car and drove away. Billy slowly wheeled himself into the house, with a freshly-gutted fish wrapped in plastic on his lap. Jacob remained outside.

"Will you please explain who's coming for me?" Bella asked.

"You're dating an incubus, and what do they do? Enter the rooms of sleeping women and have sex with them," Jacob explained. "I meant the Cullens. They want you for some odd reason." The smell of fryer grease wafted out of an open window.

"How did you know about Edward?" Bella asked again.

"I also have sources," Jacob replied.

_Great. Just Great. I have another man in my life who won't tell me anything. _She went inside and ate dinner, before going up to her room to pick out an outfit for that evening.

A few hours later, there was a knock at the door. "Bella, there's someone here to see you," Charlie called. Bella walked downstairs.

_Edward? Why is he back?_ Bella glanced at her demonic boyfriend. He sat on the couch, patiently awaiting for her arrival.

"Mr. Swan," Edward told Charlie, "I know I've just brought her home, but my family's planning a baseball game."

Charlie's glance flickered to the window. Rain fell to pavement in endless sheets. He then flashed Edward an expression reading, "What are you, crazy? You're gonna get struck by lightning!"

"Don't worry, Mr. Swan," Edward assured him, "I'll make sure Bella returns home safely."

"All right," Charlie sighed. Bella got up and followed Edward. She climbed into the Volvo, and after waiting for Edward to get in, they drove off toward the field.

"My family knows a great place to play," Edward said, smiling. Bella glanced at the miles of forest pass by.

_And where exactly is this place? _A field came into view. The other Cullen members stood in the field. Edward parked the car and opened the door for Bella. The two walked to the others, hand in hand.

Esme walked toward Bella. "While the others are setting up, would you mind hearing my story?" Bella nodded. "I know I'm a blood-sucking faerie. I left Ireland during the potato famine due to the lack of healthy prey. I moved to America and a few decades later, I met and married Carlisle." She sighed. "To tell you the truth, I don't mind if we can't exactly… be intimate… but it's better than being alone for my existence."

"Esme!" Alice called out. "We're ready! Everyone take your positions!"

_I thought faeries didn't exist. Oh, well, let's play ball._

Rosalie slowly caressed the ball, glancing at Jasper. She flashed him a look reading, "Are you ready?" She then threw the ball with inhuman force. Jasper slammed the bat into the ball, sending it sailing into a distant field.

Edward rushed into the field to get the ball.

"Looking for this, demon scum?" A young man sneered. He showed Edward the ball.

"Oh my god! We have company." Alice gasped.

* * *

See you later.


	18. Quarry

_**Disclaimer- See other chapters.**_

_**A/N- Two for One Deal. Two chapters in one day. It's not a Lazy Sunday today.

* * *

**_

_**18. Quarry**_

Three figures emerged from the surrounding shrubbery. A young blond man with a slight beard, a calm woman with curly red hair, and a black man with a nearly shaved head walked toward the group. They wore jackets and khaki pants.

"Ah, Carlisle, we meet again," the black man said.

Carlisle gritted his teeth. "Laurent."

"Hey, how many crypts have ya looted?" the blond man sneered.

"Quiet, James," Laurent commanded. James obeyed.

"What are _they_ here for?" Jasper growled.

Carlisle shrugged his shoulders.

The trio walked closer, enough for Bella to see the faint outline of a gun holster underneath each of their jackets.

"Bella, these three are mercenaries," Edward explained. "Trained killers. The Noble Order hired them."

_As If I hadn't guessed. _Bella groaned quietly.

Victoria glanced at Bella. "So Bella is the girl you're holding captive."

Edward shielded her from Victoria's view. "I'm not holding her captive."

"You may not be doing it physically, but you've got her under your spell," she sneered. "And the only way to break the spell is to kill the demon."

"Yeah," James added. "I'm surprised she isn't weak and fainting like the other lust-demon victims we've come across."

"We're not here to kill anyone," Laurent instructed. "We're here to take the girl back with us."

James pulled something out of his jacket pocket: a pistol. "Step away from her. She'll be better off with us." He paused. "And by the way, this gun shoots silver bullets, a sure demon-undead-faerie-whatever-the-hell-you-are slayer." He walked toward the group. "I'm not afraid to blow your brains out right here where no one can hear you scream."

Bella and Edward fled to the car. She yanked open the door and climbed in. "The Noble Order?"

"No time to explain, those three will go after us," Edward said. "Okay, so we've formulated a plan. Alice and Jasper will take you home for a while and then we're headed to Phoenix. They'll never find us there."

_I have a bad feeling this is going to end horribly. Three mercenaries, and I'm going to Phoenix with a Chinese Vampire and A ghoul. If I die, I'm not gonna have a funeral. I'll be ripped to freaking shreds. Oh, well, let's get this over with.

* * *

_

_**We Sail the Endless Oceans, We Sail the Raging Seas, The Quest is never ending, It leads us to destiny.**_

**Oops, Sorry. I just love Pirate Metal. Sorry if this chapter is awfully short.  
**


	19. Parting

_**Disclaimer- See other chapters.**_

_**A/N- Adding a bit of Jasper's Back-story in this chapter because I need something to fill up the emptiness. I'll elaborate on the story when it comes time to work on Final Dawn.**_

_**A/N 2- Pardon me for third chapter in one day. I'm on a roll and I want to start Blood Moon.

* * *

**_

_**19. Parting**_

Bella ran toward her father as he stood on the front porch. "I changed my mind, Dad," she said. "I want to move back to Phoenix."

"But you're still underage, and your mother is still in the hospital," Charlie pleaded.

"Don't worry, I'll find a way to support myself," she said. "I promise I'll send you letters. I'll get my clothes later." She walked over to the jeep and got in.

"So?" Edward asked.

"I think he got the message," Bella replied. "Let's go. We got ourselves a mercenary to stop."

"Even worse news," Emmett said, his voice unusually articulate for a zombie, "James is coming after us."

"For an apparent offense," Alice added. "The Noble Order's kinda like the governing body of supernatural creatures. Apparently, we broke one of their rules."

"Why do I have the sinking suspicion that they're just saying that to scare us into surrender?" Rosalie asked.

"I won't surrender," Jasper muttered. "Ghouls never surrender."

"You have to pardon him," Edward sighed. "Pack mentality."

"Yeah, and if something didn't happen, I'd still be in one," Jasper said. He paused. "I'm now content. All of the flesh I can get my claws on." The Cullen house was soon in sight. Everyone got out of the jeep.

"Rosalie, could you do me a favor?" Edward asked.

"Okay," she replied.

"Trade clothes with Bella; we need a decoy," he explained.

Her dark eyes flickered to Bella. "You have to be kidding me."

"We need something that looks like her," he pleaded.

"Am I brunette?" she replied. "I think the mercenaries know how to tell the difference between a human girl and a lamia in disguise." She sighed. "All right, do you have any hooded sweatshirts I can borrow?" Bella pulled one out of her backpack and handed it to Rosalie. "Thanks."

"Well, they can come with us then!" Alice chirruped. "Follow me!" Alice led Bella to another car. Alice took the driver's seat, while Bella sat in the back with Jasper.

_This is gonna be one hell of a ride. _Bella thought. She glanced at Jasper. _So he's a ghoul? Eats dead people. I wonder what it's like to live in a pack.

* * *

__**Okay. See you guys next time.**  
_


	20. Anxiety

_**Disclaimer- See other chapters.

* * *

**_

_**20. Anxiety**_

Bella stretched and yawned. _That was a nice trip. _She felt something soft underneath her. _Hey what the? _She rolled over. _Hotel room?_

"You kinda zonked out on the way here," Alice said cheerily.

"But how did we get here so fast?" Bella asked.

"Oh, Jasper knows a few shortcuts," Alice replied. "He told me he used to hunt up and down the West Coast during the Pioneer Era."

_Still doesn't explain how he knows the roadways. _Bella sighed.

"Let's just say I adapted to changing ways of life," Jasper said, showing double rows of razor-sharp teeth.

"Why are we here of all places? Isn't this a bit unsafe?" Bella asked.

"We've got enough weapons to protect us," Alice chirruped. She paused and her expression changed. "Oh, no."

"What's happening?" Jasper gasped, rushing to the side of his undead girlfriend.

"They didn't take the bait," she gasped. "They're coming here. And what's this about a ballet studio?"

_Is it the same one that I used to go to when I was a little girl? And my mom? Has she left the hospital? Why was she even put in the hospital in the first place? _Bella ran out of the hotel room and rushed out the door. _I must get to the old ballet studio. I Must confront James._

"Wow," Jasper sighed. "She's determined.

* * *

**_This chapter is short. I know._**


	21. Telephone

_**Disclaimer- See other chapters.**_

_**A/N- Pardon me for slipping off-schedule. I need to stop downloading one-hour free trials of games. And I need to quit cruising .**_

_**A/N 2- From now until the end of this story. I will answer any questions you have about this story or its author. I will not give out spoilers for future installments. I'll put my answers at the end of each chapter.**_

_**A/N 3- This will answer the question of why Bella's mom is in the hospital.

* * *

**_

_**21. Telephone**_

_God, I am such an idiot. _Bella thought, running back inside the hotel. _I'm just a mere girl. I can't go up against mercenaries. Which room was mine again? Oh, yeah. This one. _She pushed open a door. _Yep, it's my room. _Further away, Jasper and Alice were in the midst of conversation.

"Another premonition?" Jasper asked.

"Apparently, James has been to Renee's house," Alice replied.

"But how can he get through locked doors?" he asked.

"Don't underestimate the abilities of a mercenary," she said. She paused. "Oh, Bella. Come here please."

_I don't know why I'm in a room with a Chinese Vampire and a Ghoul. But it's better than being dragged into protective custody by a trio of black-clad freaks. _Bella walked over. "So, what's up?"

"Edward will be picking you up later," Alice commented.

_Which is worse, Flesh-eating demon and his undead girlfriend, or oversexed, bat-winged demon? I'd go with the latter. But why the hell has James followed us all the way here?_

"The others will be here any minute," Jasper said rather ominously. Suddenly the phone rang.

"I'll get it!" Alice said cheerily. She picked up the receiver. "Oh, hi."

"Is Bella there?" a dry voice said.

"Um, who are you exactly?" Alice asked.

"Renee," the voice replied. "I'm Bella's mother."

Alice fell silent for a brief moment. "Oh, she's right here." She handed the receiver to Bella.

"Mom, how are you doing?" Bella asked.

"Fine, I'll be discharged in a few days."

"I've been wondering. Why are you even in the hospital?"

"Um, I had problems."

"What kind of problems? You didn't tell me anything."

"Serious problems."

"Could you please elaborate?"

"Okay, I admit. I checked myself into a mental institution."

Bella almost dropped the phone out of shock. _Great. Just Great. I'm the daughter of a psychiatric inmate._ "I'm sorry to hear that." Bella paused. "Hey, wait a second. How did you know which number to call?"

"Oh, a fine young man is letting me use his cell phone. Ah, James is so nice."

James abruptly interrupted Renee. "Come to the old ballet studio. I'll be waiting."

* * *

I'll provide the answer to why Bella's mom had to put herself in the loony bin, mid Last Rays.


	22. Ready or Not

_**Disclaimer- See other chapters.**_

_**A/N- There's another loose end that I need to tie up.

* * *

**_

_**22. Ready or Not**_

"Bella," Alice shrieked. "You're running into a trap!"

"It's the only way for him to leave us be," Bella said calmly. Jasper sat on a chair in the hotel room, reading an old edition of the paper. Bella glanced at the paper. _Teenager Found Stabbed to Death._

"So James actually killed someone," Jasper muttered, still engrossed in the front page article. "Apparently, a teenage girl got involved with some of my old pack-mates. James thought they were gonna kill her, but she refused to be rescued."

_Stockholm Syndrome? _Bella figured.

"And so, he stabbed her brutally," Jasper continued. He sighed. "I think the way things are going now, Bella will suffer the same fate."

_So I'm going to die for staying with my demonic boyfriend. Because of some Noble Order. What is the Noble order in the first place?_

"How about we go to the airport and wait for the others?" Alice suggested. "They told me that they'd be there."

"I've already got the bags packed and now I'm ready to check out," Jasper said, smiling.

"Where does he get the money?" Bella asked.

"Bella," Jasper replied. "You don't know how many people are begging for a piece of history. I've sold most of my non-edible spoils to collectors."

Bella groaned. "I'll meet you at the Ballet Studio. I can hold James off."

Alice sighed. "Okay, but don't say we didn't warn you."

Bella walked out of the hotel and down the Phoenix streets. _Now where is that place? I'll keep James occupied until my rescue party shows up. _She spotted a boarded-up building a few blocks away. Its wooden sign hung on an angle, further proving that the place was abandoned. She pushed open the door. _Hey, this place is supposed to be abandoned, but why is the freaking door unlocked? _She stepped in.

"Oh, so you did come," a chilling voice said. Bella whirled around to face her tracker. "I'm surprised. You're alone without your soul-sucker boyfriend."

"Are you going to kill me like you did the girl who consorted with the ghouls?" Bella asked, trying to sound brave.

"Maybe," he replied. "It all depends on how infatuated with him you are." Bella backed away. "Oh, why are you running? We still have to wait until your friends show up." He paused. "Do you know who your so-called friends are? You're fraternizing with malevolent faeries, demons, monsters, and walking corpses. Take Alice for example. Like your boyfriend, she can drain people's life force. Only in her true form, she's completely blind with razor sharp teeth and talons. They'll come for you in the night."

_Wow, not only is he incredibly boring but he's starting to sound like Jacob. _Bella gasped. _So Jacob really did mean that the Cullens were coming after me. Why am I so blind to these kinds of things?_

James continued his monologue. "I never lose a target. I'm not gonna let you scurry away." He pulled out his pistol, aiming it at her. "Now, any last words?" Bella swallowed hard. "Too bad, time's up." He pulled the trigger, hitting Bella in the shin. She fell to the ground, grimacing in pain. "Now you don't want me to do that again, now would you?" Bella shook her head. "Okay, renounce all ties to the Cullens and I won't shoot you to death."

"Never!" Bella shrieked.

"All right," James sighed. "If you insist." He reloaded the gun and aimed it straight at her. "Farewell, Isabella."

* * *

_**Cliffhanger.**_


	23. Fallen Angel

_**A/N- Cliffhanger over. Time for resolution. And I'm altering this chapter's events as well…

* * *

**_

_**23. Fallen Angel**_

Bella gritted her teeth, awaiting the killer shot. _Okay. This is the end. _To her shock, the bullet was never fired. She opened her eyes, only to find out that the Cullens were now in the room.

"Okay, I was stupid!" Bella blurted out. "I shouldn't have come here alone."

James pulled out another pistol, the one specifically made to fire silver bullets. "I have this prepared for you."

"You won't touch us," Jasper growled, slowly dropping his human façade. It looked like he lost a significant amount of weight, making his designer outfit look rather tacky on his new frame. Claws sprouted from his fingers.

_This is a ghoul? _Bella wondered. _Why did I expect something more terrifying than some skinny creature with claws? Oh, well. _She turned to face Edward, who happened to be standing beside her.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked.

"He just shot me," Bella groaned. "Of course I'm not."

Carlisle walked over, carrying a couple rolls of gauze bandages. He quickly dressed the wound. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here quicker."

_Oh, why do I feel so weak? Am I gonna faint? _Bella fainted. However, she could still hear the fighting

"Jasper, why'd you show him your true self?"

"I told you in the car, idiot." Something broke the glass mirror in the studio. "I feel stronger that way."

"Don't worry, Bella," Edward assured her. "You'll pull through. Heck, if you survive, I'll even take you to the prom."

_Prom? I forgot in the midst of this chaos that Prom was coming up. _Bella got up a few minutes later. _Wow, that was the most brief fainting spell? What's going on? _She opened her eyes to find the entire studio in shambles. Her comrades lay injured.

"I never should've underestimated him," Emmett moaned, rubbing his leg.

"Remember, dear," Rosalie sighed. "You're a zombie. Zombies don't heal like humans do."

_Can I faint again so our side will win? _James strode over to her. "See, Bella? I can easily take down your friends. You seem to be unwilling to leave. So I guess I should finish you off."

"Yeah… right," Alice whispered. She moved slightly in James' direction.

James drew his normal pistol. "I'm not going to waste silver bullets on a pathetic human girl." He took a few more steps toward his target. "Are you ready?" As he walked forward, something came into his path. "Oh, crap!" He fell on the wooden floor, dropping his gun.

_Alice, you tripped him? Why didn't I think of that? Oh, I'm hurting. _Bella looked beside her. _The gun's at my side. _She slowly picked it up. _Oh, well, a girl's gotta defend herself somehow._

James got up, then looked around. "Where's the gun?" He then glanced at Bella. "Give that back!"

Bella slowly moved one finger toward the trigger, her hand still shaking. "I'm sorry." She pulled the trigger.

"No!" James gasped as the bullet passed through him. He collapsed on the floor.

_I can't believe I just did that…_ Bella thought before fainting a second time.

* * *

**_Okay. I'll finish this story tonight._**


	24. Block

_**A/N- Tonight I will finish this story, even if I have to stay up late.

* * *

**_

_**24. Block**_

_Ow, I'm in pain. What happened? James is gone. But where am I?_

"Good morning, Bella," Edward's voice said. "It's nice to see that you're alive." Bella opened her eyes. _I'm in the hospital? Geez, thank you innocent bystander for calling an ambulance. _"Oh, thank God."

Edward slowly got off the chair and walked toward the door. "Pardon me, I better alert the others. See you later." He paused. "Oh, your mother's out of the hospital." He left.

_Mom was discharged? That's nice._ After Edward left, a woman with brown hair and brown eyes entered the room.

"What happened, Bella?" She asked. "That nice young man told me that you were hurt."

"Let's just say I went into the wrong part of town," Bella sighed. "Mom, you don't have to worry. I can handle things."

"All right," Renee said. "Talk to you later." She exited the room, probably headed back home.

_I'm lucky she doesn't know the truth. _She sighed. _I did it. I defended my new friends. Well, I guess I'm coming back to Forks. I'll get to go to Prom._

Edward returned to her room, carrying a get-well card. "I thought I'd stop by the gift shop and give you a little present." He put it on the side table. "I had the others sign it as well."

"How's Emmett?" Bella asked. "I mean, I know he's a zombie."

"He's okay," Edward replied. "Carlisle's got it all taken care of."

Carlisle strolled into the room. "I found a way to repair him." He paused. "About James, I did a few tests on him. Apparently our friends in the Noble Order couldn't bear to send humans to kill us."

"He's not even human?" Edward gasped.

Carlisle nodded. "He's a cambion, a human/demon hybrid. The Noble Order prefers half-breeds to use as mercenaries. The other two would probably avenge the death of their fallen comrade."

_We better watch out. _Bella sighed.

* * *

**_Sorry for the shortness of this chapter._**


	25. Prom Night

_**A/N- Okay, peoples! Final Chapter of this story.

* * *

**_

_**25. Prom Night**_

_**Forks, Washington, a few days later**_

Bella took a deep breath, as she slid into the silver Volvo. _Okay, Bella. Going to this event isn't the end of the world. Even though this leg cast clashes with my dress._

"It's going to be great!" Edward beamed. "The others will be there."

"I've never been to a dance before," Bella replied. "But I'm open to new experiences."

"That's nice," Edward said, just as they pulled into the parking lot at school. "Here, let me help you." He got out of the car and opened Bella's door.

_He's a nice guy, even though I know he sucks out people's souls. _She grasped Edward's hand as she slowly got out of the car. "We're headed to the gym, right?"

Edward nodded. "Thank goodness the weather cooperates." He led her to the gym.

A few of the other students noticed Bella.

"Hey, what happened to your leg?"

"You look like you've been through a war."

"I'm so glad you made it."

"See, I told you she'd come."

Edward led Bella to the center of the gymnasium, just as the DJ started playing a slow song. "I'll try to dance," Bella sighed.

"Just put your feet on mine and it'll be easy," he said.

"All right," She said, following his advice. The two danced without effort. _Wow, I don't even have to lift a finger. Right now, I feel less nervous dating an incubus. _Edward leaned in for a kiss, but something else caught his eye. A tan-skinned young man in a suit with dark hair and dark eyes stood by the punch bowl.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked. She looked in the direction that Edward was looking in. "Jacob?"

"Oh, hey, Bella," Jacob said. Edward let her go for a few minutes. She hobbled over to talk to Jacob.

"Bella," he gasped. "You know what he is?"

"Incubus?" Bella whispered. The two kept their conversation rather quiet.

"He'll come for you in the night," Jacob sighed. "He'll seduce you in your dreams."

"He hasn't taken my flower yet," Bella replied.

"Lucky you're still intact, but I'm keeping a close eye on him." Jacob vanished.

_Whoa, how'd he do that? _She walked back to Edward.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," Bella replied. "Just cryptic Indian messages about what you might do to me later on."

Edward glanced out the door. "Hey, mind if we ditch this crowd and go outside?"

"I could use a little fresh air," Bella said. The two walked outside in the midst of shrubbery.

"Well, I never really attended an event like this," Edward confessed. "So, I never really knew what to expect, except some advice from old TV shows."

"Thanks for taking me anyway," Bella replied. The two glanced up at the full moon. "Aww, this is so romantic."

"I know one thing that will make this even better," Edward chuckled.

"What?"

He kissed her on the cheek.

_I know one thing's for sure; incubi make great boyfriends… as long as you stay platonic.

* * *

**Now the first installment of the Moonlight Series is over. Tomorrow, I'll put up Blood Moon, or maybe later tonight. **_


End file.
